Russia: We will not hesitate to shoot out US jets in Syria

MOSCOW, Russia – Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov said on Tuesday that terrorist organizations in East Ghouta to the east of Damascus city center are preparing a chemical weapons attack to try and force a US response against the Syrian government as they will inevitably be blamed for it.

Russia is completely aware of this false flag operation and has facts to prove that they are preparing to stage a chemical weapons attack against civilians by Syrian government forces, Gerasimov stressed.

He emphasized that the United States plans to “furnish the so-called ‘evidence’ of the alleged mass civilian deaths through the fault of the Syrian government and the Russian leadership supporting it.”

“As a countermeasure, Washington plans to deliver a missile and bomb strike against Damascus’ government districts,” Gerasimov said.

He then warned that the United States would face a Russian retaliation if they decide to attack Syrian Defense Ministry facilities.

He explained that “in the event of a threat to our military servicemen’s lives, Russia’s Armed Forces will take retaliatory measures to target both the missiles and their delivery vehicles.”

“At the same time, Russian military advisors, members of the Russian Reconciliation Center for the Conflicting Sides and military policemen are staying in the Syrian Defense Ministry’s facilities in Damascus. In case there is a threat to the lives of our military, the Russian Armed Force will take retaliatory measures both over the missiles and carriers that will use them,” he said.

According to Gerasimov, “events to further normalize the situation in Syria’s capital are going on.”

According to earlier reports, illegal armed groups are shelling with mortars both positions of the Syrian government forces and the residential quarters of Damascus and its suburbs.

Meanwhile, an intense 16 minute long video of the Syrian Army battling terrorist forces has been released. The video can be found here.

Paul Antonopoulos is a Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies. He has an MA in International Relations and is interested in Great Power Rivalry as well as the International Relations and Political Economy of the Middle East and Latin America.